Wichita eagle., 1887-11-09

LIFE AMONG THE WORKERS or A
PROSPEROUS MEXICAN CITY.

Attractions of 1.-THE Chicago of Mexico"
View from the Cathedral Tower--A Pc
cnliar Kind of Pottery-Rare Fnigree
Work.Feather Work.
Guadalajara-upon the left bank of the
Rio Grande de Santiago, just 275 miles west
from the City of Mexico and $40 miles from
the Pacific-has been called "the Chicago Of
Mexico" because CT its enterprise and liberal
ideas. Its present population Is ohicla4iy re-
corded as 81. $50, and, though so remote from
railroads and little known to the outer worIo'
it has street cars, electric lights, telephones,
q fine system of water works, and other ad-
juncts of an advanced civilization IL lies IN
the midst of a region so fertile-Where fruits,
cereals, and vegetables grow III astonishing
abundance-that the outlying hGclendaS
yield as high as fifty bushels of corn TO the
acre twice in every year, the first crop being
planted in February and the second In July.
The city boasts OF no fewer than fourteen
plazas, more than a dozen public fountains,
innumerable churches, fine opera houss and
several theatres, an elegant casino or ciub
house, a mint, city hail, spiendld uniVer-
sity, ana the only academy OF fine arts IN
Mexico, except that OF San Carlos at the
national capital The grand cathedral-a
magnificent structure situated on the Plaza
de Armas-was completed IA JOS, but Its
outer appearance as greatly impaired by the
earthquake OF 1918, which destroyed the
cupolas Of both its towers.
From the top Of the cathedral tower ths
lover Of the picturesque may obtain view
which viii delight his soul. One thing that
will probably strike him with surprise, II ne"
TO Mexican cities, is the absence Of chAnneyS,
which ia ether countries form so prominent
feature Of such views. In all this sunny
country there is no such thing Is stove or
fireplace, hence no ehImnsys. in JalLSco the
temperature remains a. about 10 deg IRON
year to year, and, though the traveller VIII
feel inclined to Keep in the shade a. MONDAY,
he should wear flannel underclota!ng con
stantly and light overcoat in the evening
The cooking is all done with charcoal, III
Dutch ovens built out Of doors. or IN earthen
pots similar to our large sized plant jars,
partly filed with Goals, upon which smaller
lars are placed. Chimneys would be super
fluffy, for nobody wants q fire IN the house
with the thermometer never below the seven
ties and for the same reason he objects to
inclcsing himself in conservatory by put
ting glass in his windows when all the winds
Of heaven are welcome. But, though no
should want it never so badly, fuel enough to
run one of our wastefuI cooking machines
would be entirely out OF the question, since
coal--which is mostly imported from England
costs SIS per ton and wood $50 per cord
Gasoline is understandable, and petroleum sells
for Sle5 per gallon.
Various trades are carried Oh in Guadala-
lara with great success, particularly silver
smithing, blaca6nlithng, and carpenteTing.
Among the manufactures those OF iron. steel,
glass, and q peculiar kind Of pottery, arc
celebrated sll over the republic. IEGead, the
fame of "Gusdals jerG pottery is world vide.
There are the queereaC designs Of carafes, odd
water jugs with two spouts Of one, jars,
mugs, pitchers with long noses and stubby
handles, etc, made Gf baked clay highly
glazed, with black, pale gray or dark red
ground, painted with impossible flowers and
figures which it would De no violation OF the
second commandment to worship, ell quaint
enough TO rank high III any collection OF
ceramics. When new this ware iinparts TO
the water it contains = strange flavor, which
is greatly r-lshed by the iex.caus, but AS
much dislilled by most other Isonis.
The gayest Of seTapes and the finest Of
rebosoS are also manufactured herea bouts;
also paper and printed cal;co. The 1igee
work OF tie Guadalaiara jewellers is simply
wonderful, and may be seen any day III every
stage OF progress, because in all tropical
countries, as 1 the far east, the MA jority ot
workmen follow their vacations III the open
air. The god and siiver3taiths ply their
intricate trade outside their liG,le shops, on
the street corners, anywhere, undisturbed by
the dust and confusion around them. They
make exquisite bits of characterization Of the
gold known in commerce rs "etruscan,"
meaning the dark, ri0h, reddish yellow
variety. These works are much more poDu-
lar in Europe than on this continent, and
across the Atlantic NJ collection OF jewels or
ornaments is considered complete without
a set OF Mexican fliGree work. At every
street corner are little stands, where genuine
treasures il the way OF antique jcwelry or
exquisite specimens OF 3hgree work may be
bought fer song, There are bracelets neck
lnces, combs, earrings, crucIfxes-In short,
every imaginable device-some set with
the beautiful opals OF Queretaro, or pearls
from the California gulf, or topazeS,
amethysts. garnets, cats eyes" from other
portions OF Mexico.
The Gu&dalaj aran wood caTvers are also
famed for the beauty OF their workmanship.
In hundred little shops we find swarthv
workmen patiently carving bits of wood into
wonderful roSayies, every bead of which
shows miniature picture Of some scriptUrai
sce.se, heads which are really perfect portraits
for the tips Of canes ard umbrellas, rings,
boxes, cigarette cases, buttons, etc The cane
Ill Il
native wood to chSse from, produce some
wonderful sticks, and many of the most ex-
quisite umbrella and parasol handles known
70 oonneros ars wrought by thess unknown
and poorly paid workmen.
Mexican gold and silver embroidery. thread
lace, draw work and intricate needle work
also command universal admiration. But the
richest and most curious of all is the plumaie
or feather work, which is made only IN
Iexioo, and nowhere better than in Guadala-
jara--the secret of which is known only to
certain families in which II has been pre-
Derved for centuries. In ibis city there are
elegant mansions decorated something as were
MonteEumas palaces with feather work the
most elaborate, which is neither tapestry nor
applique, nor is 1t woven into or sewn upon
the foundation There are magnificent cur
tains, also, besides altar cloths, scarfs, hang
tngs and other decorations, made Of Some
heavy material ornsmented in an indescri-
bsbly brilliant manner by leaves and foliage
of embroidery, in which birds stand out in
bold relief becsuse the latter are made OF the
natural plurnage Of the birds themselves. By
some mysterious process snown only to the
artists, these real feathers are wrought upon
the stuffed surface SO naturally that the bird
from which the pluInage came is perfectly
reproduced
The same art is also exercised upon cards,
large and small, scarf pins, hair ornaments,